Snow White (Rose Red)
by Llaria6
Summary: A beautiful princess, a jealous queen, a foreign prince, a mysterious huntsman, three dwarves, two elves, a half-breed underlander and a vindictive woodland spirit. This is what happens when the characters of Vampire Academy collide with the Disney/Grimm classic 'Snow White'. My submission to the Vampire Academy does Disney project.
1. Chapter 1

**~ One ~**

 _Once upon a time, a warrior queen gazed out of her palace window at the snow swirling and tumbling in the courtyard beyond. Heavy with child, her heart yearned for the birth of a daughter, and as she polished her ebony-hilted dagger she grew distracted. With a hiss of surprise, Queen Hathaway snatched her hand away from the blade and examined the drop of blood that sprung from her finger._

 _'So beautiful,' Janine whispered, seeing the deep crimson of her blood and the glossy ebony of her dagger stark against the cool, white background of snow._

 _'I can see you now, little one,' the Queen placed a hand on the swell of her stomach and stroked it gently. 'You will have skin as white as snow, with cheeks as red as blood and hair as black as ebony.'_

 _A few days later, heralds announced the arrival of the new princess - and she was just as the Queen had imagined. Her skin was white as snow, her rosy cheeks were red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony - just like her father's._

 _They named her Rose, but she quickly won the affection of all the courtiers and commoners of the palace, and soon everybody came to call her Snow White._

* * *

'Another attack, Ibriham? How many this time?' Queen Hathaway stalked into the throne room to where her husband was standing - deep in discussion with three of the other royal advisors.

Lord Mazur turned at the sound of the lady's voice, his handsome face pinched with frustration and sorrow.

'Two boys. Nine and eleven. Their mother's cow escaped its field yesterday and wandered into the Night Forest. The lads went in to retrieve it. All the guard patrol found in the morning were these.'

He held out a small cloth bundle and lifted the covering to reveal a pair of bloodied shoes and a cowbell – scratched and misshapen.

Janine closed her eyes briefly in disgust – thanking the gods that it wasn't her little Rose's shoes that the guards had found. When she opened her eyes again, they were sharp with anger.

'That's it. I've had enough,' she declared, a picture of fierceness and beauty with one hand on the sword at her hip and her face framed by the long, red hair that tumbled in loose waves down her back.

'Too long, we have allowed the creatures of the Night Forest to terrorise the Four Kingdoms. Travellers and traders are afraid to use the forest paths that link North to South, and East to West. Farmers who live along the woodland border tell stories of fell beasts howling in the darkness and livestock being stolen in the night. Mothers dread their children playing near the tree-line for fear of losing them forever… Well, I am the queen and I say _enough_! Lord Pavel?' she turned to her military advisor and captain of the royal guard.

'Prepare a hunting party of your best fighters – noble and lowborn both. The forest must be cleared of every dark beast and monster, for the safety of all our people. Tell the warriors we ride at dawn tomorrow… And send for Lady Tasha at once. I shall need my lady-at-arms at my side.'

'Wait, dearest, please,' Ibrahim intervened, handing his morbid parcel to Pavel and drawing his wife a few feet away from the others. 'Perhaps this course of action is… too hasty.'

He ignored her foul expression.

'The Night Forest is vast… many parts untouched for a thousand years. We do not know what threats lie at its heart. Would it not be better to...?'

'I am aware of the dangers, Ibrahim, and I am _not_ afraid,' the queen scowled, annoyed to have her orders questioned in front of her advisors.

'You have the courage and strength of ten men, your majesty…,' Lord Mazur stepped closer to his wife, the silky tone to his voice and the light touch of his fingers to the back of her hand persuading her to listen.

'…But hear my counsel. Ridding the Night Forest of dangers and enemies is not our responsibility alone. Let me go to the other three kingdoms that lie on the borders of the forest – to discuss our shared concerns and rally for help.'

'Queen Ekaterina in the East may be too old to join the fight herself but her son, Prince Howard, has proved himself an ally to us before. I'm sure he will support our cause. The Western Kingdom should side with us too. Last autumn, the Conta royals had their grain fields attacked before the harvest. They only avoided a famine thanks to our help, so I expect Queen Marie will be eager to repay the favour.

'And King Rufus?' Janine looked cynical.

'True, the Tarus family in the South are not as hospitable as our other neighbours,' Ibrahim nodded, 'but Rufus loves his comforts, and once he realises that clearing the forest will open up safer trade routes between the Four Kingdoms and add to his wealth, he'll be begging us for the opportunity to help.'

The queen considered her husband's proposal for a few moments then nodded.

'Very well, Lord Mazur. I charge you to rally me a dozen warriors from each kingdom. Pay them handsomely, and tell them we ride from the Northern gates ten days from now. Whatever you require for your mission – money, horses, men – consider it at your disposal.'

'Thank you, your majesty,' Ibrahim bowed deeply, then straightened up and leaned in closer to his wife, 'but the only thing I require before I go is a kiss from my queen.'

' _Ibrahim_!' the queen stepped back, scandalised that he would be so bold in the presence of her royal advisers.

'Well, you _did_ say I could have anything I required,' his mouth twitched into a grin, and before Janine could make further protest, he swept her off her feet and sealed his lips to hers.

Lord Mazur expected to return home to his queen and their precious daughter within the week, but these were uncertain times, and he refused to leave his beloved's side without first giving her a kiss to remember him by while they were parted.

* * *

'When will you be back, Papa?' the child with rosy cheeks and skin like snow clung to her father's fur-trimmed travelling cloak as he knelt to say farewell.

'In a little while, sweetling,' Ibrahim hugged her to his chest. 'It's a two day ride to my first stop at the Zeklos Palace. I promise I'll send a messenger dove when I arrive to let you and your mother know I am safe.'

Princess Rose looked glum and her father did his best to distract her.

'I hear Queen Ekaterina has two grandsons - one of them about your age. Perhaps, if one of them is especially handsome, I might ask the queen if she would consider him to be your future husband?'

' _Papa_!' the little princess smacked his chest. 'I don't want a husband. I'm only four!'

Lord Mazur chuckled.

'Oh, I don't know. I was betrothed to your mother before I was four and look at us now - happily married with a beautiful daughter of our own.'

Rose wrinkled up her nose.

'When I grow up I shall be too busy to be married,' she declared fervently. 'I'll be riding off on quests and battling monsters and having exciting adventures with my ladies-at-arms…'

'You are your mother's daughter, little Rose,' Ibrahim beamed at her and folded her in a last embrace. 'Take care of your mama while I'm away, won't you?'

'Of course!' the princess broke free of his arms - pulling out a little wooden dagger she carried on her belt and pointing it at the gigantic sapphire pendant that hung from her father's neck. 'Mama will be safe with me.'

The lord stood up and brushed a hand over his child's dark, wavy hair.

'I'm certain she will,' he replied with a smile.

'Come, Snow White,' the child's nursemaid called her away. 'You mustn't keep your father any longer. He has important business to attend to, and so have you – your luncheon is already served in the dining hall and it's getting colder by the minute.'

Rose gave her father's legs a final hug then followed after Lady Kirova without complaint. She would have liked to go on a riding adventure with her father, but she vowed to stay at the castle and protect the queen. (Also, the smell of beef stew drifting across the courtyard from the kitchens was making her mouth water and as much as she loved adventuring, she loved eating her dinner even more!)

* * *

Two days passed. Then a third. And a fourth.

Things were getting strange. The queen was in meetings all day, courtiers whispered in the castle alcoves and whenever Princess Rose asked why her father's dove had not returned, nobody seemed willing to talk to her.

'Snow White! Come back here at once!' Lady Kirova called out as the child broke free of her hand.

The door to the queen's council chamber had been left ajar and Rose was so desperate for news of her father that she didn't care if it was breaking the rules to enter.

'The royal council must not be disturbed,' the nursemaid cried lamely, but she was too late.

'Mama? What's happening? Why won't you talk to me? Is Papa dead?'

Twelve pairs of eyes turned to the child who had entered the room and Rose felt very small waiting for her mother to chastise her for interrupting their important meeting.

But the queen did not chastise her.

Janine rose from her seat at the head of the table, dressed in full battle armour. Bands of gleaming steel covered her chest and shoulders; wrapping tightly over the green leather tunic beneath. The queen had swapped her velvet skirts for a pair of tall boots and brown leather trousers - with metal guards strapped around her knees and shins to protect them - and her jewelled crown had been replaced with a simple gold circlet that bound her wild red tresses into place.

'Your father is _not_ dead, my darling,' the warrior queen whispered fiercely, dropping to her knees before her daughter. 'Never say that. He's just missing, that's all, and I am going to find him.'

Rose felt a tightening in her throat like she was going to cry, but she could see her mother's eyes pleading her to remain strong so she remained strong for her.

'How do you know you're going to find him?' the young princess whispered, unaware of all the noble lords and ladies of the council casting piteous looks at her from the table.

Janine held her daughter by the shoulders and looked sternly into the child's eyes.

'Remember the time you lost your favourite button. The one shaped like a little owl?'

Rose nodded.

'Well, who found it for you?'

'…You did,' the girl answered quietly.

'And remember the time you went exploring through the castle and got lost in the dungeons? Who found you then?'

'You did,' Rose answered, a little more hopefully.

'You see, darling. Finding lost things is my speciality, and I will find your father too. I swear it by Vlad and all the gods. I won't stop searching until I find him and bring him safely home to you.'

The princess gazed into her mother's face and found the reassurance she needed.

'I understand, mama. I will take care of the castle while you're gone.'

'I love you, my brave girl,' the queen's eyes misted and she hid her face in the little girl's shoulder for a few moments before pulling back again. 'Remember to listen to Lady Kirova. She will look after you while I'm away. And Lord Pavel will be on guard at the castle gates if you ever need him, so there is really nothing to be concerned about.'

'But what about you, mama? Who will take care of you?'

Janine smiled softly.

'I will have your Aunt Tasha by my side every step of the way. We will take care of one-another… Now go back to Lady Kirova and tell her you're sorry for running away again, there's a good girl,' Queen Hathaway stood up and pushed her daughter gently towards the door. 'Stay brave and strong my sweet Snow White. We'll see each other again very soon. I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone.'

Little Rose looked back at her mother one last time then stepped out into the passageway, utterly bewildered, and into the capable hands of Lady Kirova.

When it was time for bed that night, Snow White sat quietly while Lady Kirova brushed her hair, then knelt by her bedside and prayed to Vlad for her parents' safe return. Afterwards, the nurse left the bedchamber - taking the lamp with her - and when little Rose was left alone in the dark a prickling feeling tickled at the back of her eyes. She squeezed them tightly shut and didn't let a single tear fall. She'd promised her mother that she'd be brave and strong, and a princess always kept her promises.

* * *

Rose waited at her window for two days – watching for dust rising from the forest road or a messenger dove with news of her parents – and finally, on the evening of the third day there was a commotion at the castle gate.

'Halt! Who goes there?' Lord Pavel's gruff voice carried out into the darkness.

'Open the gates at once!' another man cried from without. 'Call for a doctor! I have the Lady Tasha!'

Rose could barely sleep that night, and it was only in the morning after breakfast that the princess was summoned to the royal physician's chambers.

'Snow White?' a voice came weakly from the curtained bed in the corner of the room.

'Aunt Tasha?' Rose stumbled in her haste to get to her mother's closest friend and fighting companion. 'What happened? Did you find Papa? Where is Mama?'

The young warrior's ice-blue eyes were dull with grief.

'I'm sorry, my princess,' Lady Tasha tried to rise from the pillows but groaned as the pain from untold injuries became too much to bear. 'Ten of us set out on the road that Lord Mazur took to the Eastern Kingdom. We met some travellers along the way who claimed they saw your father enter the forest near the border of the two kingdoms. We followed the trail as far as we could, but then…'

The lady faltered and looked away.

'Tell me what happened,' the tiny princess commanded with a tone of authority far beyond her years, and the injured woman was compelled to reveal the truth.

'We were on your father's trail when we were attacked by a swarm of giant bats – swooping, black-haired beasts with a wingspan larger than an eagle. Talons and razor sharp teeth...,' she trailed off, not wanting to speak of such horrors to a child. 'We fought them off with sword and axe, but there were too many. Four men fell before we realised we were outnumbered. Another three were bitten and perished on the journey back to the castle.'

'And my mother?' Rose whispered.

Tears welled in the injured woman's eyes and she held her palm out to take the princess' hand.

'She was surrounded. I tried to help her, but she screamed at me to flee. She ordered me to return to the castle and guard her daughter. She wanted me to keep you safe.'

Princess Rose stood very still and blinked a few times then set her gaze on the woman in the sickbed; two stray tears sliding down the young warrior's cheeks.

'We must be brave and strong, Aunt Tasha,' the little girl instructed sternly, climbing up onto the coverlet beside her and placing her small hand on the lady's much bigger one. 'It's what my mother would have wanted.'

'Of course,' Lady Tasha wiped her cheeks hurriedly with the back of her sleeve and turned her hand over to squeeze the warm, plump fingers that rested in hers. 'We shall be strong together.'

* * *

For a time, nothing happened. Palace life went on as usual, with the royal council carrying out all of Queen Hathaway and Lord Mazur's official duties in their absence. But as the months went by it became clear that the missing royals would not be returning.

A period of mourning was observed, and after that the fate of the Northern Kingdom became the most discussed topic in the castle halls, the town market stalls and in farmhouse kitchens across all the Four Kingdoms.

At last, it was decided that the North must have a new ruler – a strong leader who could protect the kingdom and act as personal advisor and regent to Snow White until she came of age to be crowned queen in her own right. Lady Tasha was a warrior maiden, much respected by courtiers and commoners alike, and as it had been Queen Hathaway's dying wish that Tasha be Rose's protector, the decision was unanimous.

With two fresh tombs standing empty in the palace crypts, a coronation ceremony was announced and the whole kingdom turned out to attend.

A crown of silver, sapphires and jetstone gleaming upon Tasha's raven hair, the little princess and the new queen regent stood side by side on the balcony overlooking the castle courtyard and solemnly joined their hands together – waving to the cheering crowd below.

 _'Long live Snow White! Long live Queen Tasha! Long live the Queen!'_

* * *

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* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **This story is my submission to the 'Vampire Academy does Disney' project - put together by Gigi256 & vafiction. If you want to check out the other stories in this project, visit the ****vafiction Tumblr page & click on the links** **.**_

 _ **My take on Snow White combines elements from the 1937 Disney movie, with the original Grimm fairy tale, and a nod to my love of fantasy role playing games such as Neverwinter Nights 2 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (+ Romitri, of course!).**_

 _ **This will be a short story - under ten chapters - and I'll be posting twice a week.**_

 _ **If you're enjoying the story, come and visit me on my Facebook page (Llaria6) or Pinterest page (Llaria6) for cool photos/teasers on new characters appearing in the following chapter :)**_

 _ **As always... I love your reviews. Feedback, predictions, questions - send them on through & I'll send you a reply! :D**_

 _ **(Note to Deputy Belikov: Civil War readers - I haven't given up on DBCW. Just had to take a break to meet the deadline for this Disney crossover project + I'm moving to the other side of the country in... 19 days. Eep! I close my eyes and all I see is piles of packing boxes!)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Two ~**

Queen Tasha proved to be a strong ruler - widely admired for her courage, wit and striking beauty. She tried to be a good mother too. She loved Snow White like a daughter, but the princess was not always an easy child to handle.

'Where did you find her this time?' Tasha sighed as seven-year-old Rose was ushered into the throne room by the captain of the royal guard.

Lord Pavel looked like he'd rather not answer, but the queen regent had asked him a question and he was sworn to obey her.

'The princess was cutting across a field towards the Night Forest...,' he answered reluctantly. 'She said she wanted to go after the beasts that took her mother.'

Several courtiers that were gathered in the hall gasped and tutted.

'Again?' the queen exclaimed in exasperation. 'How many times have I told you, child? You cannot go into the woods!'

She plucked the toy dagger from Rose's hands and frowned at the little girl, who was scowling at a spot on the floor.

'Forget this foolish fantasy, Snow White. Your parents are not coming back, and there is nothing you can do to avenge them.'

'It's what my mother would have done,' Rose muttered, defiant to the end.

'And look where that got her,' Tasha answered sharply.

The child's bravado crumbled and Pavel had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from intervening.

'I'm sorry, darling, but it's true,' the queen regent added, a little more gently this time. 'You loved your mother and so did I, but what she did was foolish. It was rash and careless to pursue Lord Mazur into the Night Forest knowing full well the dangers residing within. It got her and many others killed, and her death left our kingdom exposed - leaderless and undefended. I will _not_ let you make the same mistake as her.'

The princess looked murderous - aggrieved by the slurs against her beloved mama.

'I didn't want to have to make this decision but you've forced my hand,' Queen Tasha frowned, raising her voice to address the whole court. 'From this day forth, Snow White shall not be allowed to leave the castle walls, unless accompanied by myself or a chaperone of my choosing. A queen's only concern should be ruling her people - not running away and placing herself in danger. It is best that Princess Rose learn this lesson now, lest the Hathaway line die out forever.'

'I trust you will instruct your guardsmen to carry out my order?' she added to the brawny, middle-aged soldier who stood close by the princess' side.

'It shall be done, your highness,' Lord Pavel bowed stiffly then turned to the child, his expression conveying his deepest apologies. 'Please allow me to escort you back to your nurse, princess. Lady Kirova will be worrying about you.'

Later that night, the young queen came to sit on the edge of Snow White's bed; setting her lamp down on a small table by the bedside and pretending not to notice that the little girl had been crying.

'I understand that you're angry with me, darling, but I'm only doing this for your own good,' she spoke calmly, smoothing a hand over the princess' freshly-brushed hair. 'Your mother asked me to keep you safe and this is the best way I know how.'

Rose lay with her back to the queen for a long time before rolling over with a frown.

'Don't you even _want_ to avenge them?' she whispered roughly.

'Of course I want to avenge them, child!' a spark of passion flickered in Tasha's pale-blue eyes. 'Your mother was my mentor, my friend. She taught me nearly everything I know - how to ride, how to hunt, how to fight... But fighting is not always the answer.'

The girl in the bed glowered, forcing the queen to try a different approach.

'When you come of age, do you want the people to think of you as a good queen?' Tasha asked, the lamplight glinting off the jewels in her crown.

Snow White nodded silently.

'Then heed my advice. Stay in the castle. Listen to me and your royal council, and let us teach you your queenly duties. Leave the fighting and the vengeance to those who fight best. There are fifty brave warriors in your royal guard. An army of a thousand can be rallied if the need arises. It is _their_ job to fight for you and protect the kingdom with blood and sweat and sword. It is the queen's job to protect the kingdom from her throne. Do you understand?'

Rose's chin quivered and she rolled back onto her side, burying her face in her pillow and nodding once into its downy depths.

'Good girl,' Tasha dropped a kiss to the child's head and got up from the bed. 'No more nursemaid for you, Snow White. Tomorrow your lessons begin in earnest. From now on, you will stay by my side in the throne room and the council chamber, and I will teach you to be the greatest queen the Four Kingdoms have ever known.'

* * *

In the years that followed, Princess Rose learnt the art of curtseying and polite conversation. She sat through council meetings, watched Queen Tasha sign papers, helped her write party invitations, and danced with noble gentlemen of the court whenever it was expected of her, but nothing could erase the deep restlessness in Snow White's soul.

Despite all the luxuries and advantages her royal position afforded, the princess couldn't help feeling that she was trapped in a gilded cage and being moulded into a person she was not meant to be.

Often, when the whole castle was asleep, Snow White would sit at her window and stare towards the Night Forest - whispering her secret worries into the darkness as though her mother and father might hear her and send their answer back on the evening breeze. Occasionally, when life felt _very_ hard, Rose would climb out of her bedchamber window after nightfall and steal through the shadows to her one true and loyal friend.

Lord Pavel had been a close companion of her father's, and the captain of the royal guard took great pity on the cloistered princess. If the coast was clear, he would let Rose slip through the castle gates and take a run along the cobbled road that led away from the castle – just as far as he could see her. It was only a small taste of freedom, but breathing in the open air helped the princess forget her frustrations for just a little while, and she always returned to the castle feeling that she was strong enough to face another day.

Queen Tasha, on the other hand, was in her element. Meetings, ceremonies, edicts, tariffs, suitors, balls - nothing daunted her, and the longer she tasted power, the more she wanted to keep it.

'Another admirer wishes to see you, your majesty,' a herald announced one morning, when the dark-haired queen had seated herself in the throne room with the fourteen year old Snow White at her side. '…An earl from a land across the Eastern Sea. He claims to bear a gift of great worth.'

The queen regent shot a wearied glance at the teen-aged princess beside her.

Over the decade of Tasha's rule, many noblemen and princes had tried to woo her to the altar with gifts and pretty words, but none had succeeded. It was not that the queen disliked men – in fact, she had invited several favourites into her bedchamber over the years - but she had no wish for a husband. Husbands thought it their right to rule their wife - even if their wife was a queen. Lovers, on the other hand, she could take as she pleased and dismiss whenever she was done with them.

'Send him in then,' she nodded, only mildly interested.

'Greetings, your royal highness,' the bearded man bowed low. 'May I present to you a treasure of untold value. The only object in this world as beautiful as you.'

He turned to his two manservants who were carrying something heavy between them, and unveiled a large, oval-shaped looking-glass.

Tasha was flattered, but not impressed. She had many mirrors in the castle already, some much larger and more ornately carved than this one.

'This is not just any mirror,' the suitor assured her eagerly. 'It is a _magic_ mirror... You simply summon the spirit in the glass with the words _Magic mirror on the wall_ , then ask it whatever it is you wish to know and it will tell you the truth.'

Queen Tasha's eyes lit up with intrigue.

'Come and see, Snow White,' she beckoned the princess to stand with her before the glass, but the pleasure drained from her face when she saw the image reflected back at her.

Tasha herself was a picture of beauty and sophistication. Not yet thirty, she was still youthful and slender – the waterfall of jet-black hair spilling nearly to her knees accentuating the paleness of her smooth, ageless skin. The clear angle of her jaw gave her an air of aristocratic elegance, and her eyes flashed like pale gemstones; an outward reflection of the passionate, indomitable spirit within.

But next to her, it was as though Snow White had blossomed from a child to a woman overnight. The princess was now fourteen years of age; almost as tall as the queen, with the beginnings of a womanly shape evident beneath her velvet bodice and skirts. By contrast to Queen Tasha's carefully manicured appearance, Rose's beauty was charmingly innocent. Her hair was a tumble of ebony waves framing her face and shoulders, her lips and cheeks had the natural blush of youth (without the help of artificial stains or colours), and the troubled look in Snow White's dark eyes gave her face such a peculiar, haunting quality that the foreign visitor seemed unable to look away.

'Would the princess like the first turn?' the earl enquired, intrigued by the younger woman's artless beauty.

Taking the earl's interest in Snow White as a personal slight, the queen regent drew her brows together and stepped away from the mirror.

'I'm afraid the princess has lessons to attend to, and I must deal with some pressing matters of state,' she announced coolly. 'Thank you for the gift, my lord. Please have your manservants deliver the mirror to my private chambers at once. I trust you will find your own way out when you are ready to leave... Snow White? Quickly. Follow me.'

She hustled the girl out of the throne room and along a long, winding passageway.

'Is everything alright, Aunt Tasha,' Rose frowned, confused by her unusual behaviour. 'Did you not like the earl's gift?'

'Of course everything is alright, child,' the queen said dismissively. 'I just feel a little poorly and need to lie down for a while. Keep yourself entertained for the rest of the morning and we will resume your royal training in the council chambers after lunch.'

But everything was not alright. For the first time in her life, Tasha realised that she was getting older, and the thought horrified her. In only a few short years, Snow White would be queen, and Tasha would be nothing; no crown, no throne, no subjects, no power. The only thing of influence she would have left to her was her beauty.

Or was that already fading too?!

The queen's face turned ashen and she fled to her bedchamber, locking the door behind her.

As if drawn by invisible strings, Tasha crossed the room to stand before the magic mirror and stared desperately into its silvery depths.

 _Ask it whatever it is you wish to know and it will tell you the truth_.

'Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?'

The glass seemed to shift like a vaporous fog, and the spirit in the mirror slowly emerged into view; a disembodied head - pale and ethereal.

'Thou, my queen, art lovely and doth enthral. Thou art the fairest one of all.'

Tasha hissed in relief then laughed aloud - thinking how silly she'd been to worry - but later that afternoon the queen chanced to see Snow White talking and smiling with one of the lords of the royal council, and her dark mood returned.

From that day onward, the love Queen Tasha held for her young ward began to wane. Over the months and years that followed, the seed of jealousy and resentment that had planted itself in the queen's heart continued to grow and twist until her fears drove her to a quiet sort of madness.

In public she kept her grievances hidden – setting a hollow smile on her lips whenever she was with the princess – but every morning and evening, in the privacy of her chambers, she communed with the mirror and plotted.

The Northern Kingdom needed a strong, experienced queen - not a mere child like Princess Rose. Tasha was already loved by the people. She'd sacrificed the best years of her life raising Snow White and steering the kingdom safely through storms of darkness and doubt. Nobody deserved to be its ruler more than her. Nobody could make a better queen. _Nobody_.

By the time Rose's seventeenth birthday arrived, Queen Tasha knew what she had to do. The princess had to disappear - permanently - for the good of the kingdom. She would find a man to do the killing – a man nobody would suspect - and groom him to be loyal only to her. When she gave the order, he would pluck Snow White's beating heart from her chest to make certain she could never return, then dispose of the body where no man or beast would ever find it.

* * *

It was dark and Princess Rose was running. It was the anniversary of her parents' death and, for the first time, Queen Tasha had not allowed her to mark the occasion.

'You are to be crowned Queen of the Northern Kingdom in only a matter of months,' Tasha's rebuke echoed grotesquely in Snow White's memory. 'It is childish and common to keep grieving for the loss of people you barely remember. The whole kingdom has moved on, and so must you.'

Tears of rage stung the back of the princess' eyes as she sprinted away from the castle, and she ignored Lord Pavel's calls for her to return. She knew it was against the rules to leave but she didn't care anymore. She just had to get away - far from the castle, from Tasha, from _everything_.

 _It's not childish!_ Rose thought bitterly, her breath coming in shaky gulps as she cut away from the main cobblestoned road and ran blindly along a path so dark she could barely see her hands in front of her. _She's the childish one – looking into that mirror all day like a vain little girl! I hate her, I hate her, I hate her!_

The castle was far behind her now, but her legs kept running. The princess didn't care that her dress and cloak were splattered in mud, or that her feet ached, or that her heels stung where they rubbed against the stitching in her court slippers. She felt like she could go on running until the sun came up... except something large and solid loomed up out of the darkness ahead of her and before she could veer left or right, she hurtled right into it.

Somebody nearby expelled a harsh breath and Snow White yelped in surprise as a tall, hooded man closed an arm around her chest and shoulders; taking her weight as she crumpled sideways and preventing her from hitting the ground.

'Let go of me!' the princess exclaimed, fighting against his hold then jumping back the moment she was released - casting a wary eye over the stranger as she tried to steady her breathing.

He was huge. Tall and muscular. Judging by his clothes, he appeared to be a commoner, and Rose guessed by the axe and dagger on his belt that he was a huntsman. The man wore a sleeveless, leather jerkin over his shirt - a knee-length jacket that buttoned down the middle and matched his leather gloves and boots - and all that was visible beneath its hood was a steeply sloped forehead and the shadow of a beard.

Realising how intimidating he must have looked to the young woman, the huntsman backed away a step to show he meant no harm.

'Sorry if I scared you, miss,' his voice was deep and husky – the slight accent betraying him as a native of the Eastern Kingdom. 'I called out a warning but you didn't hear, so I had to make you stop.'

'A warning about _what_?' Snow White frowned tightly, still unsure about the stranger's intentions.

The man turned and pointed, and Rose breathed in sharply when she followed his gaze.

They were standing only a hundred yards from the edge of the Night Forest.

'Come quickly,' the huntsman ordered, taking her hand and pulling her back in the direction she had just come. 'We must return to the main road before anything catches our scent.'

The princess scurried after him - her heart racing at the sound of a howling shriek behind them - and didn't dare to pause or turn her head around until she felt cobblestones firm beneath her feet.

'We should be safe here,' the foreigner announced as they slowed to a halt; releasing the young woman's hand and peering at her from the shadowy depths of his hood.

'What ever compelled you to venture out here alone after dark?' he sounded perplexed and a little annoyed. 'Are you unwell?'

Rose shook her head quickly then looked away, beginning to panic as she realised how reckless she'd been. It didn't matter what Queen Tasha had said to upset her. She knew it wasn't safe to leave Lord Pavel's protection, and yet she still flew towards danger. What if the huntsman hadn't been there to stop her? What if she'd kept running to her death? She might have been killed - only miles from the castle - and once the beasts of the forest were finished with her, there wouldn't have even been a body left to mark the place where she had perished.

Seeing the distress on the girl's face, the huntsman reached out tentatively and brushed his gloved fingers against her arm.

'It's alright, miss. No harm was done in the end, but we should get you back home to your parents before they start to worry. Tell me where you live and I'll see you safely there.'

The princess was about to say she could find her own way home, thank you very much, but then she caught a glimpse of the gentle, careworn expression on her rescuer's handsome face, and - to her great dismay - promptly burst into tears.

In her efforts to remain brave and strong for the sake of her mother's memory, Snow White had kept her feelings bottled up for so long that she had actually forgotten what it felt like to cry. Apparently, she had also forgotten how to make the tears stop.

'Please don't cry,' the huntsman begged her.

He was used to surviving out in the elements, killing animals and evading forest monsters - not comforting beautiful, distraught women - and he honestly didn't know what to do.

'Whatever it is, it can't be all that bad, can it?' he tried again.

The young woman continued to sob brokenly into her hands, and eventually the huntsman did the only thing he could think of - he put his arms around her like a shield and simply let her weep.

'Easy, girl, easy,' he sounded like he was talking to a horse, not a woman, but the princess found it oddly soothing.

Gradually, her chest stopped heaving and she fell quiet - slowly registering the warmth of the man's chest against her cheek and the protective circle of his arms around her back. It was the safest she had felt since that distant time when her parents were still alive, but she knew she had to pull away. She was a princess, and princesses did not enjoy embraces with strange men in the middle of the night.

'I'm sorry,' Snow White wiped her cheeks hurriedly. 'I don't know what came over me. Your shirt must be soaked through.'

'It will dry,' the huntsman was less concerned about his damp clothing than the wellbeing of the woman in front of him. 'What has upset you so badly? Is there anything I can do to help?'

His eyes were so kind that Rose almost told him everything right then and there, but she was used to dealing with her troubles alone and felt uncomfortable sharing her darkest secrets with someone she'd only just met.

'You're very kind to offer, but I wouldn't wish to burden you with my problems,' she declined politely. 'I'm fine, I promise...,' she added, when the man opened his mouth to object. 'And besides, you just saved me from the Night Forest. I think that's help enough already.'

The princess smiled to prove that she was alright, then her expression transformed to a wince of embarrassment.

'You think I'm completely mad, don't you?'

The man studied her for a moment before replying.

'Not _completely_.'

It took a second for Snow White to realise that he was teasing her, and when she pouted, he laughed - a sound that made her heart quicken with rare happiness.

By unspoken agreement, the pair began walking slowly along the road; the huntsman keeping close to his charge's side and staying alert to every movement in the shadows around them.

'Thank you for saving me tonight,' the young woman glanced up her companion. 'If you weren't there...'

'I _was_ there, thank Vlad,' he reassured her. 'But please promise me you won't do that again,' he added. 'I don't mind saving beautiful damsels in distress every now and then, but if it becomes a habit I'll have to charge the queen extra for my services.'

'You know Queen Tasha?' Rose asked apprehensively, imagining the trouble that would result if news of tonight's misadventure found its way back to the castle (and, to her surprise, feeling a little jealous).

'I work for her,' the huntsman explained. 'It's my job to supply the royal kitchens with game, and protect the farms and cottages that lie along the fringes of the Night Forest. I've only met with the queen a handful of times since I started serving the crown a year ago - whenever there's been something of interest to report - but I admire her majesty greatly and will be forever in her debt. Without her, I'd still be...'

Snow White wasn't listening anymore.

'You won't make a report about _me,_ will you?' she grabbed at the man's shirtsleeve, demanding his reassurance. 'The Night Forest has already claimed the lives of both my parents. If the-... if my aunt hears that I was out here too, she'll...'

The alarm in her eyes stirred up a raw, protective instinct in the young huntsman, and he squeezed her hand to calm her.

'Don't worry, miss. Your secret is safe with me.'

* * *

When they were nearing the castle gates, Rose stopped to bid her new friend farewell, though she found she was reluctant to leave him.

'I'll be alright by myself from here,' the princess announced softly. 'Thank you for everything, Mr... what _is_ your name?' she asked sheepishly.

She'd already embraced the man, wept in his arms and passed more than an hour unchaperoned in his company - all before they had even observed the basic introductions.

'It's Dimitri,' the huntsman bowed, ashamed he'd forgotten his manners. 'Dimitri Belikov... And may I know yours in return... in case we should chance to meet again?' he enquired, a note of self-consciousness to his voice.

Snow White's heartbeat quickened, and her answer stuck to her tongue.

She couldn't tell Dimitri that she was the princess. He worked for the queen. If the huntsman admitted to Tasha that he'd found Princess Rose only yards away from the Night Forest, she would be severely punished. And if Dimitri kept her secret and Tasha found out about their late-night encounter by other means, then it wouldn't just be Rose who was punished. Either way, she couldn't take the risk.

'It's Roza,' she looked into his eyes and lied to protect them both. 'You can call me Roza.'

* * *

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

 ** _Tasha has already descended into darkness. Rose has a secret interlude with a sweet & sexy foreign huntsman. _**

**_Hmm... so if Dimitri is the huntsman, then who is the prince?!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Three ~**

The following evening, there was a sharp knock on Rose's bedchamber door and she opened it to see a stony-faced guardsman in the candlelit passageway outside.

'Princess Rose. Her majesty the queen wishes to see you. I am to escort you to her chambers at once.'

'Just a moment, please,' Snow White excused herself to throw a robe over her nightdress then returned to the guard with a feeling of apprehension.

What did Tasha want? They'd just spent the whole day together and she hadn't mentioned a private meeting after dinner. Had she found out about Rose's dangerous escapade the night before? Did she plan to punish her? Did she know about Dimitri too?

It was only a short walk to the queen's bedchamber, and Snow White steeled herself for the worst as her escort knocked on the door to announce their arrival.

'Come in,' Tasha called from inside, and they both entered to see the queen turning from the mirror that was hung on the wall above her dressing table - her hand tracing over the lid of a wooden jewellery box, which was clasped with a heart of solid gold.

'Thank you, Sir Ethan. Please wait outside,' she instructed, and the guardsman obeyed without question - closing the door behind him and leaving Princess Rose to her fate.

'If this is about the guest list for my coronation...,' Rose began.

'Hush, darling,' Tasha tutted, advancing slowly towards the princess and wrapping her in a gentle embrace. 'I didn't ask you here to talk about business. The truth is, I wanted to apologise.'

Snow White stiffened in the other woman's arms. _Tasha_ wanted to apologise to _her_? For what?!

The queen pulled back from the embrace, sliding her hands down Rose's arms and weaving their fingers together.

'I fear I've been too harsh on you lately,' her clear, blue eyes were clouded with remorse. 'It's just been so busy - what with all the planning for your coronation, and the new trade agreements we're negotiating with the Southern Kingdom. I'm afraid I let my concerns about the kingdom take up all of my attention, and I have neglected you most unfairly. I know it's a poor excuse, but I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry, and I hope I might make it up to you somehow?'

Well, that was unexpected.

'You really don't have to do anything...' the princess drew her hands away, the intimate contact making her feel uncomfortable.

'But I _do_ ,' Tasha argued, almost playfully, 'and I know just the thing to cheer you up. Come. I have something to show you.'

She pulled Rose over to sit with her on the stool in front of the magic mirror, draping an arm around her shoulders.

'Well? What do you see?'

The princess looked at each of the two figures in the glass with a soft frown, wondering what game Tasha was playing at.

'Not _me_ , darling... look at _you_!' the queen urged with a note of rapture to her voice. 'You're almost a woman now - almost a queen... And so, _so_ beautiful. Isn't that just too exciting?'

She turned to push a lock of Rose's loose hair back from her face, then tilted the girl's chin up so she could take a better look at her reflection.

'Just think - in two months from now you will be a woman grown. Men will cast themselves at your feet and beg you to take their hand in marriage. Lords. Princes. _Kings_...'

The last word was coloured with hidden meaning and Rose couldn't help feeling a little bit curious.

Tasha reached for a letter on the dressing table, which bore the crest of the Eastern Kingdom's royal family.

'This arrived by messenger a few hours ago,' her pale eyes danced with excitement. 'Queen Ekaterina says she has decided to pass her throne on to her great-grandson when she reaches her one hundredth birthday. Prince Jesse will be king in two months - the same week you become queen. He is rather handsome, don't you think?' she added innocently.

Snow White blushed. She'd met Prince Jesse at several royal functions over the years, and he wasn't just handsome - he was _magnificent_. Smooth, golden skin. Hair like honey, and blue-grey eyes that flashed with a lazy confidence few ladies could resist. His older cousin, Prince Ivan, had always been the better warrior of the pair - and widely touted to be the next ruler in the East - but a hunting accident had led to his premature death and now Jesse was Queen Ekaterina's sole heir. Rose suspected he would make a fine king with the right advisors to guide him... And he certainly looked good in a crown.

'I knew it!' Queen Tasha exclaimed jubilantly, seeing the deepening flush to Snow White's cheeks. 'Of course you like him. Why wouldn't you? Such wonderful news. You two are going to make the perfect couple - and with kingdoms side by side, just think of the empire you will be able to build together.'

The princess felt herself being swept up in Tasha's excitement but she had a niggling feeling that something wasn't quite right.

'Don't you think it's a bit premature to be talking of marriage, Aunt Tasha?' she frowned. 'I'm not the only princess in the Four Kingdoms... and besides, the last time I saw Prince Jesse was two years ago. He probably doesn't even remember me!'

Tasha looked smug - handing Queen Ekaterina's letter to the princess and pointing out the closing paragraph.

 _...Prince Jesse and I will be hosting a dinner party the Zeklos holiday manor this coming weekend, and we hope that you and Princess Rose will honour us with your company. The young people will partake in an evening of fine food, dancing and musical entertainments, and Prince Jesse looks forward to the opportunity to re-acquaint himself with your sweet Snow White, whom he has been talking of constantly for months. Accommodation will be provided for guests to stay overnight so they can return home safely after breakfast the following morning. Please advise us of your attendance at your nearest convenience._

 _Sincerest regards,_

 _Queen Ekaterina_

Rose read over the letter with growing excitement but a little uncertainty as well. Was it possible that Prince Jesse liked her? She didn't know him well enough to think that she loved him, but lots of royals had arranged marriages - even her mother and father had been betrothed as infants - and in most cases the love grew with time. She hoped it would happen that way for her too, though she'd made more of a connection with the huntsman she'd met last night in only a few hours than she'd ever felt with Prince Jesse over the years of their acquaintance... Not that that should matter, Snow White reminded herself quickly. Princesses did _not_ marry huntsmen, no matter how sweet or handsome they might be.

'But we can't go,' she remembered suddenly. 'The ambassador from the Southern Kingdom is coming to stay. We have meetings scheduled all day and a formal dinner in the evening. What would he think if the queen wasn't here to greet him?'

Queen Tasha smiled.

'I know _I_ can't attend Prince Jesse's party, but that doesn't mean _you_ shouldn't.'

'What?' Rose blurted in surprise. 'You'd let me go without you...but that _never_ happens.'

The queen laughed lightly.

'Oh, Snow White. Don't be so melodramatic. You act as though I've been keeping you prisoner here all these years. Of _course_ you shall go to Prince Jesse's party. As your queen, I command it... and as your friend I hope you have the most wonderful time.'

Rose returned to her own bedchamber a few minutes later, and once she'd readied herself for bed she lay staring up at the arched ceiling above her, unable to find sleep. Her whole life seemed as though it was about to change. But would it be for the better or for the worse?

* * *

In the days leading up to the party, Snow White grew more and more excited at the prospect of spending an evening away from the castle, but the night before she was due to depart for the Zeklos manor the princess slept fitfully. When she awoke that morning, her mind was still clutching at the fading snatches of a troubling dream.

She'd been dancing with Prince Jesse in sea of happy faces, then looked up to find it wasn't the prince holding her, but the tall huntsman who'd saved her from the Night Forest. Dimitri Belikov. ' _There are monsters here,'_ the hooded man whispered in her ear, then the room morphed into a black, twisting forest and the princess and the huntsman were racing together, hand in hand, as screeches and hisses and roars followed ever closer upon their heels.

The details of the dream faded only minutes after Rose awoke but the feeling of anxiety stayed with her all through the morning, and when it came time to leave she approached the carriage outside the castle doors with some degree of apprehension.

'Look at you, darling! You're a vision!' Queen Tasha peeled away from her conversation with the driver of the royal carriage to admire the party girl.

A new dress had been made-up for the occasion; a beautiful crimson gown with soft, flowing sleeves that cinched at the elbow then wafted like a cape behind her. The bodice was embroidered with swirls of gold - the rich tones of the fabric chosen to set off the pale expanse of skin at Snow White's throat - while the laces that fastened it at the back showcased the princess' shapely figure to its full advantage. Her natural beauty needed no enhancements, and the only adornment she wore was her tiara; a circlet of delicate, gold vines twining upwards to form a bow at the centre of the crown, its twin curves dusted with a spray of tiny rubies.

'If Prince Jesse doesn't drop to his knees and offer you his hand in the first hour, then he's blinder than a fool and doesn't deserve you,' Tasha declared proudly, though her smile turned wooden as Snow White's cheeks flushed redder at the compliment - increasing her beauty even further.

'Thank you, Aunt Tasha. The dressmaker did a wonderful job. Where is Lady Kirova?' the princess asked distractedly, looking around for the noblewoman who was to be her chaperone for the outing.

'I'm afraid we've had to make a last minute change of plans,' the queen's expression turned serious. 'Lady Kirova has taken ill in the night... but not to worry,' her smile shone through again. 'I've sent a messenger dove on ahead to inform Queen Ekaterina that you will require one of her ladies in waiting to serve you for the duration of your visit. It's only a few hours' drive to the Zeklos manor on the Eastern border. I'm sure you can keep yourself entertained and out of trouble for that long.'

So Snow White was to travel alone along the same road her parents had taken when the Night Forest claimed them? The anxiety Rose had felt in her dream came flooding back so strongly that Tasha must have noticed the change on her face.

'Everything will be alright,darling,' she crooned, stroking the princess' hands. 'I wish I could have found another lady to keep you company, but at such short notice it was impossible... Have no concerns for your safety, though,' the queen added. 'I've arranged for a special coachman to carry you to your destination. He grew up in the Eastern Kingdom and has intimate knowledge the roads and countryside that border the Night Forest... He's an experienced fighter too, and bigger then both of us put together, so if you do chance upon any trouble, I have complete faith in his ability to protect you.'

Rose still looked uncertain. She hated that she didn't know how to defend herself. Her mother had taught her to hold a sword when she was younger, of course, but Tasha had been so adamant that the princess should learn to rule from her throne - not from the head of an army - that the only blade she'd wielded in the past ten years was a butter knife.

'Trust me, Snow White,' Queen Tasha urged. 'I promise you're in safe hands... _Mr Belikov_!' she called sharply over her shoulder to summon the coach driver. 'Help Princess Rose into the carriage. She is ready to leave.'

 _Belikov?_

Rose could barely believe her eyes when a familiar figure approached from the pair of white horses at the front of the carriage. She'd only seen the huntsman once before; in the dark, with his face little more than a shadow beneath his hood. Now, his simple hunting clothes were concealed by the long, black coat of a royal coachman - emblazoned with a gold crest that marked him a servant of the crown.

With Dimitri's hood gone, the princess could see his face clearly. His hair was tied back loosely at the nape of his neck, and his jaw was clean-shaven - making him look younger and far more handsome than she'd first imagined - but while his face and figure were youthful, there was something flat and dark about his eyes that aged him in a different way.

The huntsman's step faltered for a moment when he saw the princess - his face registering surprise and mild panic - but he recovered himself quickly.

'Your highness,' he offered his hand to the young woman to assist her up into the carriage.

Rose placed her hand in his as she mounted the step, not daring to look him in the eye in case Tasha observed that they had an existing connection.

The coachman managed to assume his seat at the front of the carriage without raising any suspicions from the queen, and as the clip-clop of horse's hooves accompanied them out through the castle gates, Snow White's thoughts were all in a jumble.

Dimitri! She'd never really expected to see him again, but now he was here! Dimitri _and_ a royal party all in one day. She couldn't believe her luck.

* * *

'Dimitri?' Rose called his name when they were a safe distance away from the castle.

It was a small carriage - with curtains rather than glass windows - and if the princess leaned forward in her seat she was close enough touch the man's back.

The driver slowed the horses to a walk but didn't halt them altogether, turning in his seat to address his royal passenger.

'My apologies, highness, but my station does not permit me to speak with you. If you have an urgent need to stop I will gladly oblige, but all other queries should be directed to the household staff at the Zeklos manor.'

As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked the reins to urge the horses forward again, and the noise of their hoof-falls on the cobblestone road grew to such a din that there was no chance of the princess making herself heard.

Snow White couldn't believe that Dimitri would ignore her after he'd been so kind to her just a week ago. She felt hurt at first, then annoyed. So what if his station was below hers? It hadn't stopped them talking the other night (or embracing, she thought guiltily). Why should she have to sit here, staring at his back in silence all the way to the Zeklos manor? She was a princess - in two months she would be queen. If anything, he should be taking orders from her, not the other way around.

'Mr Belikov... Stop the carriage. We need to talk,' she insisted, rising up in her seat to tug sharply on his coat through the curtained space that divided them.

'Your highness!' he called out in alarm. 'Sit down at once or you'll be thrown from the carriage!'

The coachman pulled on the reins hurriedly and drew the horses to a standstill - jumping down from his seat to check on the princess and find out what madness had driven her to to stand up in a moving carriage.

'Your highness? he asked stiffly, avoiding her eyes. 'How may I be of service?'

'Well, you can stop the _your highness_ ing for a start,' the princess suggested, longing for the easiness they'd shared before. 'My name is Rose - or Snow White, if you prefer.'

'I thought it was Roza,' he muttered, meeting her eyes for the briefest moment - his expression sharp with accusation.

'Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was the princess when we met the other night,' Rose was anxious for him to understand. 'It's not that I didn't trust you... but Queen Tasha has forbidden me to leave the castle without an escort and I knew she'd be angry if she found out I'd disobeyed her.'

Dimitri stared at the wooden grain in the carriage armrest, and Snow White thought he wasn't going to respond at all until he finally lifted his eyes to hers.

'And what were you crying about, princess? Or were the tears a lie too?'

The accusation wounded Rose more than she thought possible and Dimitri knew at once from her expression that he'd judged her unfairly.

'No, they _weren't_ a lie,' she answered tightly. 'Last week was the anniversary of my parents' death - Queen Hathaway and Lord Mazur. I wanted to put flowers on their tomb as I do every year, but Queen Tasha told me it was time I forget them and move on. I couldn't bear to, so I ran away to clear my head. I didn't mean to go so far from the castle gates - I just...'

The coachman's eyes widened then dropped in shame.

'Forgive me, princess. I had no right to question your intentions. The loss of a loved one is a great tragedy - especially a parent - and no one should ever be asked to forsake their memory.'

'Thank you for understanding,' Rose unconsciously leaned closer to him, her hurt receding as she felt the trust between them beginning to return. 'You sound as though you speak from personal experience,' she added softly. 'Have you lost a parent too?'

In an instant, Dimitri's face hardened and he stared straight ahead; his arms clamped to his sides.

'I should return to my seat, your highness. It is not my place to speak with you so intimately. The queen has charged me with a task and I must complete it.'

Snow White called after him, but this time he was determined to ignore her and they set off again at a brisk pace, leaving the princess more confused than ever.

* * *

Rose watched unseeingly as the countryside passed along beside her, lost in a deep and complicated silence. She was glad to be out of the castle, but upset by the huntsman's cold behaviour. She was looking forward to attending the royal party, but also wished the journey would take longer so she could try to get Dimitri to open up to her. It was only when they came to a fork in the road and the carriage veered towards the dark treeline to their right that the princess surfaced from her thoughts and took proper note of her surroundings.

'Where are you taking us?' Snow White demanded sharply, trying not to panic as they drew steadily nearer to the Night Forest.

'A short-cut,' Dimitri slowed the horses as they passed through the fringes of the forest and entered the darkness within. 'Don't worry, princess,' he lit the lamp that hung beside his seat to illuminate their way. 'I've hunted these woods all my life. I know what I'm doing.'

The princess didn't feel reassured. Even this close to the edge of the forest, the trees grew so close together that their branches interwove - forming a sinister, clawing archway above the narrow path - and the trunks were so broad and the spaces between them so narrow that it really did feel as though night had fallen. The air was heavier here too - damp and difficult to breathe - and eerie sounds carried from deeper within the darkness, making the hairs stand up on the back of Snow White's neck.

Rose held her nerve for as long as she could, until something howled closeby in the darkness and she caught sight of two pairs of glowing eyes watching her from the undergrowth.

'Get us out of here, Dimitri!' she commanded fiercely, but he didn't obey.

Instead, without warning or explanation, the huntsman reined in the horses and got down from his seat - taking off into the shadows by foot.

Snow White watched after him with rising agitation - her mind churning with all the childhood stories she'd heard about the wicked beasts and monsters of the Night Forest - then she reached for the door of the carriage and swung it open. If there _were_ monsters here and she was about to die, she'd much rather fight to the end with Dimitri by her side than perish here, alone, in the carriage.

'Why have we stopped? What's the matter?' the princess picked up her skirts and hurried through the gloom towards the large figure that had halted further along the path - staring down at something in his hands.

The huntsman turned slowly, and Rose's step faltered as she realised he was holding a dagger.

'What are you doing, Dimitri?' she asked warily, seeing the strangest look on his face - equal parts guilt, resignation and despair.

'I'm sorry, Roza,' he muttered under his breath; tightening his fingers around the ebony handle as he began to stalk towards her. 'This was never my choice. I'm just following orders.'

Orders? Rose looked at the dagger and panic surged in her chest as she realised his intention.

'Whose orders?' she whispered roughly, glancing around in the futile hope that somebody was nearby to help her... and that's when she saw it.

' _Dimitri_!' Snow White shrieked a desperate warning but it was too late.

Before the huntsman could turn his head, a creature charged at him from the underbrush - grunting and snorting as it smashed into its target, and brought him heavily to the ground. The beast looked like something cross-between a wild boar and a bear - all muscle and tusks and claws - and it mauled and gouged with no heed to the struggling cries of the man beneath it, or the sound of footsteps approaching from the rear.

Suddenly, the beast squealed in anger and lumbered around to face the human girl standing behind it; a tree branch wielded tightly in both her hands.

'That's right! Come and get me!' the princess shouted to distract it from the huntsman, who was clutching at a bloody wound on his side as he struggled to rise.

Right now, Rose didn't care that Dimitri had been sent to kill her. She'd seen his true nature the first time they'd met and she knew he had no personal desire to harm her... and she didn't want to see him harmed either if she had the power to save him.

'You want another taste of this, piggy?' she waved the branch recklessly - the billowing movement of her long, crimson sleeves like a red flag to a bull. 'Well, come and get it!'

Enraged, the beast charged - foam dripping from its yellowed tusks - but before it could take two steps, it screamed in agony and collapsed onto its side; the huntsman's dagger buried deep in the side of its neck.

An eerie silence hung in the air - only broken by the ragged hiss of Rose and Dimitri's breathing - then the forest exploded with noise.

Hoots, howls, shrieks, growls, bellows and whines. Even the wind in the trees picked up, and the dank, musty smell that rose up from the forest floor became so strong it was nearly suffocating.

'Your highness... Roza?'

Snow White startled as the huntsman limped up in front of her - one side of his black coat wet with blood, and the blade he'd taken from the dead creature's body still clutched loosely in his hand.

Was Dimitri still planning to kill her? Even after she'd saved him?

'Please, don't fear me,' he begged when she backed away from him, sheathing his dagger quickly and grabbing both her hands in his. 'I never wanted to hurt you. But there is someone who would have you dead... Queen Tasha ordered me to kill you... She wants you gone so she can keep the throne for herself.'

The words were like a stab of ice to Rose's heart. She knew Tasha had grown cool and distant over the years, but she wouldn't really resort to murder, would she?

'I don't believe you,' the princess pressed her lips together, overwhelmed by the shock of it all but determined not to cry.

'You must,' the huntsman urged her, dragging her back to the carriage and retrieving a wooden box from under the driver's seat. The box with the heart-shaped clasp that Snow White had seen less than a week ago on Queen Tasha's dressing table.

'She told me to kill you and return with your heart...,' Dimitri's hands were shaking slightly as they held the box - not out of fear but out of anger, 'or she would send for my mother at the Eastern Palace and have her executed as punishment for my disobedience.'

Rose searched his face and saw he was telling her the truth.

'She'd kill your mother?' she whispered in horror.

'And _you_ , princess,' Dimitri discarded the box and reached for her hands once again, squeezing her fingers almost painfully in his earnestness. 'You're not safe at the castle as long as the queen lives. You must flee. Now.'

He took the dagger from his belt, still stained with the blood of the boar-thing, and pressed the ebony handle to Snow White's palm.

'Take this for your protection,' he insisted, then pointed to the south. 'Follow the path until it leads you across the border to the Eastern Kingdom. There is a wise-woman who lives on the edge of the town - a druidess called Oksana. Tell her that I sent you and she will keep you safe.'

'But what about you? And your mother?' the princess fretted. 'If you return with the box empty, the queen will...'

'Don't worry about me,' Dimitri shook his head. 'Queen Tasha might wear the crown but her actions have proven her unworthy. You are the _true_ queen... _my_ queen. I will do whatever is necessary to protect you. Now, go!'

Snow White held his worried gaze a moment longer then lifted the skirt of her gown and ran – desperate to reach the eastern edge of the forest before any other foul creature caught her scent.

The huntsman watched her go, his forehead lined with care, then he limped over to the carcass of the beast upon the ground. Taking a small hunting axe from his belt, he swung it and split open the bear-pig's chest.

Queen Tasha wanted him to return with a heart, so a heart she would have.

* * *

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

 _ **Jesse is the prince. Ivan is dead. Dimitri & his mum are in danger. Tasha is a nutcase as usual. Rose is running through the Night Forest in search of Oksana... but who else is lurking out there in the woods?**_


	4. Chapter 4

**~ Four ~**

Princess Rose stumbled through the darkness, clutching Dimitri's blood-stained dagger tightly to make sure she didn't drop it. All around her, it seemed like eyes were watching her. Shrill cries and haunting sighs sounded from all directions, and the branches of the trees reached down to waylay her - scratching her face and snagging at her crimson dress.

 _Just follow the path_ , she tried to quell the panic in her chest, but with each step she took the way grew narrower and the leaves blanketing the ground grew thicker until eventually there was no path left to follow.

Snow White stopped, frantically spinning around to find any sign of the path she'd been taking, but it had vanished without a trace.

'Dimitri?' she whispered, turning back the way she thought she had come.

Maybe he was still in the forest and could help her find her way.

'Huntsman?' she called a little louder.

All she heard in reply was a dripping sound from somewhere off in the trees to her left, then a far-off howl carried across the greenish gloom and the princess decided that moving in any direction would have to be better than staying here.

She took off again, slipping on the decaying leaves that covered the forest floor as she wove between the ancient, clawing trees - unable to shake off the feeling that somebody or some _thing_ was watching her.

At one point, Rose's stocking became ensnared by a dead branch, and as she bent to release it, a high-pitched scream sounded from the bushes behind her.

'Get off me!' the princess kicked desperately to free herself from the branch, and not a moment too soon.

Something swooped at her from behind, and Snow White shrieked as a searing pain ripped through her scalp; cowering in fear as a giant hawk swept away from her, with the princess' ruby-bow tiara and a clump of ebony strands clutched in its talons.

' _Dimitri!_ _Help me!_ ' Rose screamed, running and swatting out with the huntsman's blade as the raptor swooped again - so close she could feel the rush of air on her face before it banked suddenly then soared upwards to prepare for another attack.

The hawk seemed like it wanted to play; diving at the human then veering out of reach before her blade could do any harm. Occasionally it raked the back of a talon across Snow White's bare shoulders - teasing her but not drawing blood - and in the end the princess could do nothing but hold her arms above her head and stagger in whatever direction her legs would take her. Finally, chased and mocked and harried until she could take it no more, Rose heard water up ahead and stumbled towards it; falling to her knees on the bank of a crystal stream with her dagger held limply at her side.

'I'm sorry, Dimitri,' she whispered to the water, a trickle of blood oozing from her temple where the hair had been ripped from her scalp. 'You tried to save me, but it was all in vain. At least if I die now, Tasha won't be able to punish you or your mother.'

A tear slid down Snow White's cheek and she covered her face with her hands; waiting for the giant hawk to swoop a final time.

'Who is _Dimitri_ , and who are _you_?'

The princess froze, wondering if she had imagined the voice, then peeked up to see the strangest creature standing - no, _floating_ \- before her.

The hawk had gone. In its place was a small, child-like being. Completely naked, but shrouded in a swirling mist that obscured its true form beneath; something distinctly female, with queer translucent skin that shimmered blue and green and purple in the soft light that reflected off the water of the stream.

'Are you a ghost? Am I dead?' Rose whispered, wrapping her arms around herself as a cold chill began to seep into her skin until it felt as though her bones were made of ice.

The beautiful child laughed - a strange, bubbling sound like water - but the the expression on her face was far from friendly.

'You soon _will_ be dead if you don't answer my questions, human,' she warned. 'Who are you and what is your purpose here? Who sent you? Tell me one good reason why you have the blood of an ancient beast on your blade, and I _might_ spare your life.'

Snow White had been so transfixed by the face of the ethereal creature that she hadn't noticed she was getting colder, and when she looked down she realised that wisps of mist were streaming out from the being and surrounding her like an embrace.

' _Answer me_ ,' the icy voice demanded, and suddenly the child's form billowed and grew until a towering woman streamed above her - unnaturally tall and fierce despite her beauty.

The princess sneezed violently. She was so cold now that her whole body was trembling and when she felt the dagger slip from her fingers she knew this would be her final resting place.

'R-r-rose,' she stammered, her teeth chattering and her ruby lips turned blue from the cold.

'Thank you, Rose,' the swirling creature shrunk down to the height of the princess and enveloped her, her crystal eyes filled with contempt and bitterness. 'Now go to sleep forever and never bother me or my friends again.'

She breathed a frigid gust of air into the human's face, and as Snow White's mind descended into darkness she thought she heard a voice far off in the distance shouting ' _Miameridwyth! Stop!_ '

...

' _Warm her, underlander!_ '

Rose surfaced briefly to see a sullen, grey face bent over her. The ears were too big. The eyes were too close together. And what were those things sticking out of its head? To Snow White's horror, the creature's pale eyes suddenly turned blood-red. Pain like a thousand needles pierced her skin and she fainted dead away.

* * *

It was quiet when the princess awoke. She lay with her eyes closed for a few moments - half convinced it had all been a terrible dream - but then she felt a sharp, throbbing sensation on the top of her head, and when she put a hand to her hair she knew it had all been true. Her skin was still raw where a small tuft of hair had been pulled out, and her ruby tiara was gone.

Opening her eyes in a flash, Snow White sat up and saw that she was in the loft of a tiny cottage, lying on a stranger's bed. To one side of her were a further five beds; two large and three small. On the other side of her stood an ornately-carved washstand with a basin of water resting atop it, and beside that, a tall, shrouded figure stood at the open cottage window - gazing intently into the depths of the Night Forest as though they were searching for something.

'Who are you, and why are you holding me prisoner?' the princess demanded at once, sounding much braver than she felt. 'If you mean to harm me, you should know I am friends with the huntsman and he has vowed to protect me.'

The figure at the window turned, and Snow White's breath caught as a strange, yet astonishingly beautiful woman approached the bedside.

'So you're awake at last, Rose,' the angel murmured, the scent of honey filling the room as she dropped the pale, gossamer veil back from her head.

The young woman's features were soft and elegant. Her skin glowed golden, as if lit from within, and her eyes were two clear pools of jade; calm and untroubled on the surface, but delving and discerning as she studied her guest upon the bed. A sheet of silver-blonde hair swept down her back - with fine braids weaving in and around an intricate silver crown that put Snow White's ruby tiara to shame - and the ears that peeked out through the long strands were oddly angled and pointed at the tips.

'My name is Lady Vasilisa Dragomir - of the high elves from across the Eastern Sea - and you were _not_ brought here as our prisoner, but as our guest. I believe you've already met my friend Miameridwyth - the water spirit _._... Mia?' she turned slightly as if talking to somebody but no one was there. 'Perhaps now would be a good time to apologise for the way you greeted our new guest?'

Snow White jumped up from the bed and nearly rushed for the door as a child-sized, swirling form appeared above the water bowl on the washstand - the very creature that had attacked her by the stream.

'Sorry, I guess...,' the water spirit conceded snippily. '...But you _were_ carrying a dagger stained with the blood of an ancient _boarhaan,_ and it is my sacred duty as a naiad to protect all beings native to this forest. How was I supposed to know you weren't the one who...'

Mia was stopped mid-tirade by a violent sneeze from Rose - followed by a second, then a third - and Lady Vasilisa's calm face instantly flooded with concern.

'It's the water magic,' the elf murmured uneasily, pressing the back of her hand against the human's forehead and feeling that it was ice-cold.

' _Underlander_!' she called in the direction of the doorway. 'Come at once!'

Only moments later, the door opened and Snow White unconsciously recoiled at the sight of the strange, yet familiar, man that entered the room. He was the one she had glimpsed earlier. The one with the eyes that had turned to red.

He was similar to female elf - but in the way that a shadow is alike yet _not_ alike to the thing that cast it. Where Vasilisa radiated light, this elf-man seemed to absorb it. His grey skin gave him a dour air - his pale blue eyes almost white against his dark complexion - and even though his hair fell in a thick, shaggy mop about his face, there was no hiding the two wildly-elongated ears that stood out from the sides of his head - or the two small protrusions sprouting out from his forehead that could only be described as a pair of horns.

'What do you need, Lady Vasilisa?' the newcomer asked, his face losing a little of its sullenness as he addressed the slender, blonde-haired elf.

'The human,' she instructed him urgently. 'Are you certain you warmed her thoroughly? Help her. Please.'

'I don't want _his_ help,' Snow White took a step backwards, remembering the stabbing pains that had seized her the last time this grey elf touched her.

There was a bubbly kind of laugh from Mia in the background, and the elf-man narrowed his strange, pale eyes.

'Does my race disgust you so much?' he said it like an accusation.

Rose frowned uncertainly.

'Of course not. I don't even know what you are. I just don't want you to hurt me again.'

The man's lips twitched into a smirk.

'Poor, ignorant human. Of course you do not know what I am. Well, allow me to educate you... I am a half-breed underlander - product of the unholy union between my human mother and my underlander father.'

'The blood of the dark elves runs in my veins, and I have inherited their powers over earth and fire. The pain you felt earlier was not _harming_ you. It was _saving_ you. When Lady Vasilisa and I arrived on the scene, old s _neezy,_ here, had chilled your body until you were only moments from death,' the elf threw a disdainful glance at the water spirit. 'My fire magic brought you back. Now do you want me to check that you are properly restored, or are you too afraid to let me touch you?'

Snow White honestly would have preferred that the devilish being didn't touch her, but the look on Vasilisa's face convinced her she should trust the man - even if he was a grumpy, arrogant sort of creature.

'I am not afraid of you Mr Underlander,' she looked him straight in the eye to show that his strange appearance did not concern her. 'Do whatever you have to do.'

The elf was surprised and secretly impressed by the human's bravery - not that he would ever admit it to her.

'My name is Kristyan,' he said stiffly.

Stepping closer to the human, he laid a hand high on her chest and a flame ignited within him - tainting his eyes red and heating the surface of his palm. This time, instead of stabbing pins and needles, Rose felt only warmth and energy flowing through her skin and seeping into the deepest fibres of her muscles.

After a minute or so, the dark elf pulled his hand away - satisfied with whatever he had done.

'You're fine,' he declared, already turning his attention to Vasilisa. 'Is there anything else, my Lady?'

Vasilisa looked to him gratefully.

'Can you tell the little ones we'll be down to tea soon, please? And to set an extra plate for our guest,' she gave him an encouraging smile.

'What do you mean by _little ones_?' Snow White spoke up warily.

Before today she'd had no idea that elves or water spirits or underlanders even existed, and if there were to be any more surprises she wanted to be prepared.

'Do you mean to say that you and Kristyan have children?'

* * *

Their shocked silence was immediately followed by a burst of deep, uproarious laughter.

Rose spun her head towards the sound and saw a set of three faces pop up from behind the furthest bed. The faces belonged to three 'little' men - little in the sense that the only stood as tall as Snow White's chest, but larger than life in every other respect. Broad shoulders and barrelly chests, thighs like tree trunks, and thickly muscled arms that were barely contained by the banded-leather clothing they wore. Each had a longer, wilder beard than the last and they all sported scars and tattoos on their arms and necks that came with all manner of tall tales whenever the beer was flowing.

'Kristyan and _Vasilisa_? He wishes!' the dwarf with the blonde hair exclaimed, doubling over in mirth, while the oldest of the three beamed inanely from behind his massive grey beard (which was so long he'd tucked it into his belt down to avoid tripping up on it).

'Knock it off, Eddie!' the third dwarf hissed, combing a hand self-consciously over his luxurious red mane as he snatched a worshipful glance up at their human guest. 'Yuri, wipe that smirk off your face. Show some respect. There's a _lady_ present.'

Eddie stared at his companion in disbelief then a new suge of delight flooded his rugged features.

'You've come over all bashful, Mason! I never thought I'd see the day!' he spluttered with laughter, and Mason glared in response, jabbing the taller dwarf hard in the ribs.

The force of his blow knocked Eddie sideways into the grey-haired dwarf beside him, and without warning, old Yuri spun around and planted a fist so solidly into Eddie's guts that the blonde dwarf fell flat on his backside. Winded for a moment, he looked up in surprise then let out a huge bellow of laughter - grabbing Yuri by the legs and toppling him to the ground. There was a momentary scuffle as the two hulking dwarfs rolled over one another, each fighting to dominate the other until Yuri clonked his head on a nearby bedpost and dazed himself.

'Why are there stars in the daytime?' he asked nobody in particular, which only made Eddie laugh even harder.

Mason covered his face with one hand - mortified at the other dwarfs' loutish behaviour - and while the commotion was settling down, Kristyan stepped up to Snow White's elbow.

'So now you've met Happy, Dopey, and Bashful,' he said sarcastically.

Rose thought the nicknames suited the three dwarfs very well, but there was something she didn't like about the haughty tone to Kristyan's words.

'And I suppose that makes you _Grumpy_ , then?' she asked innocently.

The underlander's eyes flashed with annoyance, but a movement on the far the side of the room caught his attention, giving him the excuse he needed to withdraw from the conversation.

'Heads-up, everybody,' Kristyan observed in a louder voice. ' _Sleepy's_ awake.'

Snow White hadn't even noticed that there was another man in the room. He had been sitting perfectly still and silent - almost blending into the wall behind him - but now he threw back the deep hood of his cloak and immediately locked eyes on the only human in the room.

'What news, cousin?' Lady Vasilisa glided across the floor to greet him. 'You were gone so long this time I was beginning to worry.'

But the young man - a high elf like his cousin - ignored her question and made a path directly for Rose.

'Your highness. Thank Vlad you are safe,' he reached for her hand and bowed gracefully over it. 'Lord Adrian Ivashkov, at your service.'

As princess of the Northern Kingdom, Rose had met many lords and princes over the years - even a few kings and a sultan - but not one of them carried themselves with even half the grace and self-confidence of this elf lord. And if his manner was not enough to catch her attention, then his appearance certainly was.

Adrian's skin was golden like Vasilisa's, though his hair was brown, not blonde. The sides were drawn back and braided through the delicate crown that wrapped around the centre of his forehead, while the rest of his hair hung loose - and somewhat haphazardly - about his shoulders. Beneath his mottled cloak, the man wore tight trousers and a fitted robe - made of a material so fine that Snow White could see each soft shadow as it brushed against lightly muscled planes of his chest - and his emerald eyes were so entrancing that Rose had the strangest feeling she might fall headlong into them.

'It is an honour to meet you, Lord Ivashkov,' she answered formally, her human senses slightly overwhelmed by his presence. 'And I am Princess Rose Hathaway - though most people call me Snow White.'

'Snow White?' Adrian held her hand a moment longer, running an approving eye over the princess' flushed cheeks and crimson dress. 'I should think _Rose Red_ suits you much better.'

The colour in Rose's cheeks deepened and she looked away. It was flattering that the elf was taking such an interest in her, but of all the names and titles that had been given to her, _Roza_ was still her favourite.

Lord Ivashkov gauged a change in the princess' mood and his own face grew serious.

'In any case, princess, it is a great relief to see that you've made it safely here,' he squeezed her hand gently then released it.

'When I first saw your carriage stop on the path into the Night Forest I sensed that something was wrong, and sadly it turned out that I was correct. You have no idea how much I wanted to fly to your aid when the huntsman drew his blade against you, but my cousin and I are strangers here and it is the law of the Elfish High Council that we must not intervene in the matters of other races when we are visiting their lands. Fortunately, the _boarhaan_ was bound by no such convention and chose to intercede on your behalf.'

'Sorry... I don't understand,' Rose felt confused.

'This forest is place enshrined with deep magic,' Adrian explained in a measured voice. 'Many of the ancient beasts that once called the Night Forest home have died out over the last thousand years, but a few still remain - like the boarhaan your _huntsman friend_ killed,' the elf's tone was faintly accusing.

'Now, wait on a minute,' Snow White instantly defended her champion. 'Dimitri only killed that thing because it attacked us.'

Lord Ivashkov shook his head.

'But it _wasn't_ attacking you, princess,' he corrected her. 'It was attacking the _huntsman_. The boarhaan saw that you were under threat and it came to your aid of its own accord. You must be a truly remarkable woman, Rose Red, to win the favour of an ancient, and then convince the man who was going to murder you to help you instead.'

The princess' frown deepened.

'But how do you know all this?' she demanded. 'How could you have possibly seen what happened? Up until a few minutes ago you were fast asleep in the corner over there.'

'Asleep?' Adrian raised an eyebrow in surprise, then walked purposefully across to the window and blew a low whistle.

'Contrary to appearances, your majesty, I was _not_ sleeping,' the elf said over his shoulder, as a faint rustling noise sounded from outside the window.

'My concentration was simply... engaged elsewhere.'

* * *

Adrian turned slowly and Snow White's eyelashes sprang wide open at the sight of a hawk perched on his arm.

'The hawk?! You sent it to attack me?!' Rose's voice came out several pitches higher than usual.

'Well, technically, _she_ sent _me_ ,' Adrian smiled faintly. 'Allow me to introduce you to Jill. My animal bondmate,' he scratched the raptor's feathers and it closed its eyes in enjoyment. 'When we are connected in spirit, I can fly with her and see through her eyes. I'm sorry if we frightened you, Rose Red, but you were hopelessly lost, and it was imperative that you made it to safety before nightfall or you would have certainly perished in the forest. Chasing you seemed the quickest way to get you here.'

The princess shot a dark glance at the bird on Lord Ivashkov's arm.

' _Chasing_ me?' Rose hissed in disbelief. 'You and your little bird friend did a bit more than that, Lord Ivashkov! You stole my tiara from my head, if you remember, _and_ ripped out half my hair while you were at it!' she smoothed over the tender spot with a wince.

Adrian looked mortified.

'I apologise a thousand times, princess,' he hurried to explain himself. 'Animal bonding is a new discipline to me. It is a strong magic, but Jill and I are still learning how to negotiate the bond. Please allow me to make amends.'

At a movement from the elf, the hawk launched into the air and disappeared out of the window, leaving Adrian's hands free to procure Snow White's ruby tiara from within his robes. As he placed the bow-shaped crown upon her head, he brushed his fingers lightly over the place where Rose's skin had been broken, and a soft, golden light filled the room.

The princess stumbled backwards, her hand flying to her head. The stinging feeling had gone. It was as if there had never been a wound there at all.

'But how did you...-?' Rose shouldn't really have been surprised by now, but after all the shocks of her day, this last thing was just too much.

Adrian looked pleased with himself.

'All elves possess healing abilities, though I admit I never mastered the finer healing arts,' he informed her. 'Simple scrapes and bruises I can handle, but if you need anything more serious taken care of, Vasilisa is the real _Doc_ of the family.'

Rose glanced curiously at Lady Vasilisa then back to Adrian.

'So if you aren't very good with your animal bond, and you aren't very good at healing... then what _are_ you good at?'

There was a snigger from Kristyan in the background, and Lord Ivashkov's suave demeanour faltered momentarily, but he recovered himself almost at once.

'Why don't you stay here with us for a while and you can find out for yourself?!' his eyes twinkled with intrigue. 'I, for one would be delighted to have your company, and I'm sure the others would be pleased to have you too... wouldn't we ladies and gentlemen?'

There was a general chorus of support from around the room, though Kristyan and Mia were markedly less enthusiastic in their responses.

Snow White wavered for a few moments but eventually shook her head.

'I'm sorry, but I can't stay. As long as I remain within reach of the Northern Kingdom I am in danger. Queen Tasha sent the huntsman to kill me because she wants to steal my throne, but Dimitri chose to be help me instead. He said there's a druidess in the Eastern Kingdom who can keep me safe. I must go to her.'

'Oksana?' Vasilisa spoke softly, and everybody quietened down to listen. 'I fear you would not be safe with her, Princess Rose. The druidess is a good woman, but she lives close to the edge of the forest and trades regularly with the townsfolk in the nearby village. If Queen Tasha sends spies across the border into the Eastern Kingdom in search of you, they will surely find you there.'

Rose's face fell.

'Please, you mustn't fret, princess,' the dwarf called Mason implored her gruffly, summoning the courage to look her in the eye. 'You can remain here with us for as long as you'd like to. My brothers and I are miners, but we are warriors too. Mia and the elves aren't fighters like us but their magic is strong. Stay here and let _us_ protect you from the wicked queen and anyone else who would do you harm. '

'Well, princess?' Lord Ivashkov tilted his head slightly and fixed the young princess with a soul-searing, emerald gaze. 'Will you stay?'

Snow White looked around at the odd group of companions that were assembled together in the loft of the dwarfs' cottage. Up until a few hours ago, the princess had been expecting to spend this evening at the Zeklos Manor; enjoying dinner and dancing with Prince Jesse - maybe even receiving a proposal of marriage. But fate had set her on a different path, and even though Rose felt a sense of sorrow at the life she had left behind, a tiny glimmer of excitement began to take light inside of her as she thought about what tomorrow might bring.

'If a message can be gotten to Dimitri to tell him I'm safe, the yes - I'll stay,' she agreed, a smile spreading across her face as all three dwarfs swarmed closer to welcome her warmly.

So, she'd be spending the next however long in a mysterious cottage in the middle of the Night Forest with three dwarfs, two high elves, an underlander and a water spirit. What could possibly go wrong?!

* * *

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* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

 ** _So... Rose's protectors aren't the traditional Seven Dwarfs. (A decision I came to as soon as I tried imagining Lissa as a dwarf XD)_**

 ** _Adrian is way better as a hawk-warging elf than Snow White's prince, right?! (Hopefully now you see why I gave the other role to Jesse, as much as he is universally hated!)_**

 ** _Any Star Trek fans in? I thought it would be cool if Adrian/the elves followed the Prime Directive!_**

 ** _There is no pre-existing fantasy creature called a boarhaan. I just know a guy called Burhan, so now he's famous :)_**

 ** _Chapter 5 - I'm not sure when I'll be posting the next chapter. Five days left until I leave for my crazy family relocation drive/holiday. If you don't hear from me for a few weeks I'll be camping my way across Australia; sleeping in a tent, pooping in the wilderness, looking over lonely cliffs towards Antarctica, listening to children's movies on repeat in the car & hopefully stopping off at a winery or two. Fun times!_**

 ** _Remember to check out my Pinterest page (Llaria6) if you'd like to see some cool visuals for my character ideas in this chapter. I also have a FB page (also Llaria6) which I will use to let you know when the next chapter is ready to come out._**


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